WHO Red Flags Punjab-Based Pharma's Cough Syrup Sold In Marshall Islands Over Contamination
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a 'Medical Product Alert' over contaminated syrup by an Indian pharma manufacturer that was being sold in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia.
According to a WHO notification, samples of the Guaifenesin Syrup TG Syrup were found to contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants.
What is the health risk?
The WHO said that Diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are toxic to humans when consumed and can prove fatal.
"The substandard product referenced in this Alert is unsafe, and its use, especially in children, may result in serious injury or death. Toxic effects can include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state, and acute kidney injury, which may lead to death," the WHO said.
The Who has advised that if people have the affected product, they should not use it and requests increased surveillance and diligence within the supply chains of countries and regions likely to be affected by these products.
Manufactured by Punjab-based pharma
Guaifenesin is an expectorant used to relieve chest congestion and the symptoms of cough.
The stated manufacturer of the affected product is QP Pharmachem Ltd (Punjab, India). The stated marketer of the product is Trillium Pharma (Haryana, India). To date, neither the stated manufacturer nor the marketer have guaranteed WHO the safety and quality of these products.
Company claims conspiracy
Reacting to the WHO alert, Sudhir Pathak, Managing Director, QP Pharma, put up a bizarre defence.
"Food And Drug Administration of Punjab doubts that someone has duplicated the product (cough syrup) sent to Cambodia and then sold it in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia to defame the Government of India. The FDA department has taken samples of cough syrup sent to Cambodia for testing. A total of 18,336 bottles of cough syrup were sent," Pathak told ANI.
More bad news for generic drugs industry
The latest WHO product alert is more bad news for India's generic drugs industry which has increasingly come under international scrutiny for being sub-standard and even dangerous.
In recent months, the role of two Indian generic drug manufacturers had come under investigation over child deaths in The Gambia and Uzbekistan after consuming contaminated cough syrups.
Earlier this year, the US CDC had banned the import and sale of eye drops by a Chennai-based manufacturer over possible contamination that led?to at least 55 cases of bacterial infection in 12 US states, out of which five people have had vision loss.
One person has also reportedly died after the bacteria entered the bloodstream.
For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit?Indiatimes News.
